The Chinese automaker BYD may be trying to send Toyota a message. The new small car from China is almost an exact copy of Toyota’s Aygo. BYD usually names its cars with an “F” and then a number designation, so its smallest car is aptly named “F0”.
There will be premium models of the car, so now you can F0 in Luxury or F0 with VIPs. Because it is one of the cheapest cars in China, if it was available in the U.S., you could F0 for under $4,500.
It’s the rumor that General Motors won’t let die: will the Corvette be exported to China? America’s greatest production sports car was shown a the Shanghai Motor Show last year, and last month a spy shot caught a black one outside the Chinese government’s automotive quality and inspection department (they licenses cars for manufacturing in China.) But the Automotive News is reporting a GM spokesperson in China says there are no immediate plans to bring the sports car to China, before adding: "Never say never."
A great way to insure continued production is economies of scale: producing more cars brings down the total cost of production. The Corvette should be no exception. Unfortunately exporting in left-hand drive only has left the car a novelty in places like England and Japan. So by sending (or producing) Corvettes in China, they could utilize their power as a premium marquee - GM is seen as a high mark of quality in China. This will help General Motors save money on the manufacturing and design, and in an ideal world, that will translate into more cash for GM to invest in more great Corvettes at home like the ZR1.
Gas prices are as bad here in the U.S. as they are in China. So fuel prices and concerns over air quality for the 2008 Olympics in Beijing should send customers looking for hybrids, right? Unfortunately it seems that the Chinese automakers do not offer many alternatives to gasoline, and the mainstream market is not yet demanding alternative energy.
The Chinese Association of Automobile Manufacturers published statistics display’s the public’s lack of appetite for alternate energy cars in China. The Chinese Association of Automobile Manufacturers regard any car that is not a powered by gasoline or diesel as a ‘new energy car’ which include electric cars, hybrid cars, LPG, and hydrogen powered cars. In total, 366 new energy cars were sold in China from Jan to June in 2008. On the brighter side, that still represents a 107 percent increase over the previous year’s statistic.
In China, Buick’s heritage makes it a new and hip brand. In North America, its heritage makes it the brand for those who need a new hip. In fact, China accounted for about 34 percent of Buick’s total sales last year. So to help put the cars where the people want them the most, General Motors has now announced that Buick will now export its Enclave SUV to China. Buick is one of most popular brands in the country, but these are not the exact cars available in the U.S. The Buicks in China right now mostly are mostly original cars or designs borrowed from other GM brands such as
Daewoo,
Opel and
Holden
Volkswagen may be betting the world’s largest car market and the world’s fastest growing market will like the same car. VW is having its Chinese subsidiary, Shanghai Volkswagen, develop a new mid-sized car for the U.S. and China. This new car should be about the size of a Camry, and will replace the China-only Volkswagen Passat Lingyu by 2010. Since the car will be Passat sized, it may also be a replacement for the Passat in the U.S.
The ‘New Midsize Sedan’ or NMS may be produced at the new Volkswagen plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee by 2011. The car’s body - including exterior and interior parts - will be developed by Shanghai Volkswagen.
Imitation is supposed to be the sincerest form of flattery, but there is no love in complete theft. Fiat sued China’s Great Wall Motor because it thinks the GWPeri looks a little bit too much like its best-selling Panda. An Italian court (and the rest of the world) agreed, saying, "the [GWPeri] does not look like a different car but is a Panda with a different front end." The court basically blocked Great Wall from selling the Peri in Europe by adding a €50,000 fee to the car as well as having to pay Fiat €15,000 for every car sold. To put it another way, would you pay $105,000 for a
Chevrolet HHR
When it comes to air quality, Beijing tops the list of the worst. Now that the city will be on worldwide display at this summer’s Olympics, images of hazy skies and athletes wearing facemasks to stay healthy will not look well for the city. So today, in an effort to lift the fog, Chinese authorities started a program that uses license plates to prohibit some passenger cars from the city. During alternate days, only even or odd numbered plates will be allowed on the roads of China’s capital city. Beijing is reported to be home to about 3.5 million total vehicles, and this ban should take about one million passenger vehicles off the road.
Beijing is doing its best to keep its citizens happy while it tries to impress the world. So until the ban is lifted in September, no one will have to pay road and vehicle taxes. This is part of a larger comprehensive plan that has included stopping large construction projects, closing high-polluting factories, and even firing large projectiles into the clouds to encourage rain.
At a media conference on press day at the Beijing Motor Show Dr. Franz-Josef Paefgen, President of Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S. , officially declared Bugatti’s entry into the Chines market. „We are delighted to be here“, said Dr. Paefgen. „It is a historic moment for the legendary Bugatti brand: it is the first time that Bugatti presents a car in mainland China.“
The Bugatti Veyron will be on of the highlights of the Beijing Motor Show. Bugatti’s has selected Bentley China, a subsidary of the Dah Chong Hong Holdings Ltd., as its General Distributor in mainland China. The DCH Group takes up Bugatti’s sales- and service responsibilities in Beijing, Shangai and Shenzhen.
The first customer already made an offer of 25 mil yuan ($3.6 mil) for the first Bugatti sold in China.
Nissan revealed the new Teana premium sedan at the 2008 Beijing International Automotive Exhibition.
"When we introduced Teana in 2004, it sent a clear signal that Nissan was serious about growth in China," said Carlos Ghosn, President and CEO, Nissan Motor Company Ltd. "The all-new Teana again demonstrates our commitment to high quality and world-class products for the Chinese consumer," continued Ghosn.
Teana was designed under the concept of modern luxury and relaxation. Defined by a bodyline that is a graceful and sweeping arc, the new Teana embodies sophistication. Known as a pioneer of the "modern living" concept through its first generation, the Teana evolves the interior design to focus on relaxation for all passengers.
Teana is available with the combination of the highly regarded V6 engine (VQ25DE and VQ35DE versions) and XTRONIC CVT. This combination provides both high performance yet refined long distance cruising. For China, a four-cylinder in-line engine (MR20DE) is also available, designed to maximize fuel economy and performance.
Volkswagen is presenting the New Bora in a dual world premiere at Auto China 2008 in Beijing. The New Bora is to be recommended especially for families as a practical, high-end, versatile and dynamic companion for every day of the year.
The new models should contribute to further solidifying Volkswagen’s successful position as market leader in China. In 2007 the Volkswagen brand sold more than 780,000 vehicles – a new record. At the same time, this sales record validates the Volkswagen strategy of systematically bringing German knowhow into harmony with Chinese culture.
At its market introduction, FAW Volkswagen will be offering the New Bora with two modern Euro-4 gasoline engines. Both engines are distinguished by very refined performance and low fuel consumption. The four cylinder engines can be paired with a six-speed automatic (Tiptronic) as an option.
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